By the year 2000, half of all young people in Amsterdam will be of immigrant origin. The government aims to promote integration requiring that 70 percent of newly hired employees of the Municipality of Amsterdam be either of immigrant background or women. Mene Tekel examines the consequences of this policy within the Amsterdam Fire Brigade. Without using interviews, and instead relying on observation and a narrative structure resembling a feature film, the documentary shows how the policy affects recruitment and training. Sons from long-established firefighting families are no longer automatically eligible for a position. Meanwhile, newcomers of immigrant background often find themselves entering the fire brigade almost as a result of well-intentioned efforts by social support agencies. Once there, they undergo extensive testing and initiation, because when the alarm sounds they may be confronted with death, and firefighters must be able to trust one another completely.
After two months of refusing to see this movie, I have decided that it’s finally Morbin’ time. After its re-release as a box office bomb; I watched it just to laugh at it. But, I was also surprised, because 'Morbius' is a queer allegory.
“I’m always interested in exploring female fantasy, and the sexy witch is a loaded archetype that is simultaneously about men’s fears and fantasies about women, and women’s feelings of empowerment and agency. So whereas we are used to seeing the sexy witch or the femme fatale from the outside, I wanted to explore her from the inside.” - Anna Biller, on why she made The Love Witch
When the retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale and a holiday spirit come together, viewers learn about class issues as well as perseverance despite setbacks.
Unrelentingly funny, highly entertaining, and ridiculously absurd, My Movie Starring Paul Dano is, according to its creator, Joe Bartone, a tribute to the willful ignorance of independent filmmaking found in the late '70s in New York City. Developed through open discussions with the cast at the reading table, the mockumentary follows a delusional and fame-starved indie director, Herman Rumowicz, through the process of making his very first feature movie starring Paul Dano.
Americans love the British monarchy. This may seem confusing because only a few short hundred years ago they were our worst enemies, and every year we celebrate our independence from them. The Crown humanizes the monarchy, which might explain its popularity.
An impressive narrative structure, a perfect use of the continuous shot technique, and great interpretations make "Boiling Point" one of the best films of 2021.
